ABU VC queries lecturer over failure to complete PhD programme in 11 years
The Vice-Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Professor Kabir Bala has queried Waziri Isa Adam, a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, in the University, over his failure to complete his PhD programme at the University of Lagos since 2010.
The VC had given him a query to explain why since his enrollment in the university 11 years ago he was yet to complete the programme even after the university had paid for all his grants.
The VC had in the query, signed on the 29th September, 2021 by M K Yusuf, a Principal Assistant Registrar asked the lecturer to explain how he spent the sum of N1.6m Education Fund Academic Staff Training and Development Intervention given to him.
It query stated further that at the lecturer’s request, the university had paid him additional financial support to cover tuition fees, accommodation, books, and research costs.
However, findings gathered that query came about after the lecturer had made a request to the university to grant him leave of absence to complete his Ph.D. at UNILAG in which the university denied.
Reacting to the query, in a statement he made available to Newsmen, Waziri Isa Adam described the query and leak of the document as an attempt to blackmail him due to an indicting report he did on the university.
Adam said there were several lecturers within ABU that are yet to complete their programmes even after 18 years saying we have unaccountable lecturers that have spent 30 years pursuing their Ph.D. but they have not talked to them.
Speaking on the delay of his programme, he said, “Two years into the programme I was appointed SA Media to the then VC Abdullahi Mustapha whom I served for two years.
“After that, I had financial challenges and couldn’t return for some time but I later returned and couldn’t complete the Ph.D. I have completed my course work; I have done my research and gone to the field. All I’m waiting to do is put my report into writing and get a date for my Defence.”
He added that “it may interest the public to know that there is an uncountable number of lecturers who have spent more than 30 years pursuing their Ph.D., and there are several others who have spent more than 18 years pursuing only Masters degree within the ABU, but he has not queried any one of them.
“A typical example of the Vice Chancellor’s demonstration of selective justice is his singling me out alone for query in a public domain, and subjecting me to judgement in the court of public opinion as if I am the first lecturer in the history of the university that took this long on a PhD programme .
“It will interest the public to know that I applied, for a one year leave of absence (permission to proceed to my University in Lagos to tidy up my work and do my defence, on my own, without requesting for salary or any form of financial support from the university), but the Vice-Chancellor denied me this opportunity, which is my own right.”
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